I See You

7digitalWhat we said:If you were to have predicted the first member of The xx to have a successful solo career, you’d probably have picked from vocalists Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim, rather than singling out their notoriously shy and retiring beat-maker. Regardless, it was Jamie Smith who was thrust into the mainstream in 2015, earning a Mercury-nomination for his debut, In Colour. It’s understandable, then, that on The xx’s third album, Smith’s influence is now more prominent than ever. From the synthetic horns and garage beats of bass-heavy opener ‘Dangerous’ to the Hall & Oates-sampling ‘On Hold’, I See You is the trio’s most extroverted collection to date, all the while retaining the crepuscular feel for which they were first famed. Album centrepiece ‘Replica’ might even be their finest song to date.